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The San Fernando Valley's "HIDDEN GEM" for writers and artists of all types is this funky coffee shop called Buffalo Bruce's Mercantile in Sylmar, which offers a FREE writer's circle on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. Led by a veteran writing instructor, the circle has hosted both beginning and professional writers in poetry, novels, short stories, memoirs, scripts and even rap. The environment is like your favorite auntie's living room - cozy, warm and very relaxed. Vivian, the shop's owner, makes you feel at home right away and whips up a mean "Mocha Joe", the house specialty. Best of all, the circle is filled with SUPPORT, CREATIVITY and INSPIRATION for all who come to share, learn or just feel the Muse. :emoticon:

Thank-you Susan for the tip of a Hot Spot in Cotati. I live in Kenwood and occasionally would like to visit as time permits. I suppose just calling Marvin's to find out the time of the gathering would be best. Otherwise, maybe you could let me know the details.
From Sonoma County

Name of City/Town: Marysville
Name of Hot Spot: Amicus Books at 413 D Street
What makes this spot so great for writers? Lots of books both new and used. Regularly scheduled classes on writing plus book reviews by local authors.

Name of City/Town: San Francisco, CA
Name of Hot Spot: Buena Vista Cafe
What makes this spot so great for writers? I know this sounds crazy and somewhat impossible, but this little cafe is right on the bay. You can look out and see the water and the Golden Gate Bridge... it's gorgeous. It's got great food and you can watch people walk by and sometimes stop in. Best chocolate cake in the world. I don't think there are any electrical outlets, but a notebook or a sketchpad would be perfect. It's really peaceful and the owners are so nice, even if you're new.

Name of City/Town: San Francisco, CA
Name of Hot Spot: Buena Vista Cafe
What makes this spot so great for writers? I know this sounds crazy and somewhat impossible, but this little cafe is right on the bay. You can look out and see the water and the Golden Gate Bridge... it's gorgeous. It's got great food and you can watch people walk by and sometimes stop in. Best chocolate cake in the world. I don't think there are any electrical outlets, but a notebook or a sketchpad would be perfect. It's really peaceful and the owners are so nice, even if you're new.

Hi Daughter of Cokie
Ssn Diego is a national writing "Cold Spot". It's not so much that writing is suppressed there, it's just ignored. The city websites, even for magazines, feature movies and gossip and sports and even art...but nothing on writing.

The SD Reader, run by a religious maniac, pays big money for articles but has no idea of quality or talent, so pays the same for inarticulate rambling and tends to avoid writers who flirt with success or recognition.

There is really no local small press that prints San Diego writers' work.

Recently a writers organization started there with a gala catered party--then announced it would charge writers to join.

There are some bright spots in all of this:

Several good writers groups meet that you can locate by searching meetup.com

I started going to SF's BV in 1959 (when the Irish coffees cost 60 cents). The place might be as you describe it in the daylight hours, but after dark it is jam-packed with a waitress balancing drinks on a tray held over her head and screaming, "Let me through, please."

I could write stories about incidents and meetings I made at the Buena Vista (at the end of the Hyde St. cable car), but "peaceful" would not appear in any of them. I love the place, but I don't go there with pen and paper.